Cleanup in Aisle Three
by PinkCardigan
Summary: After a secret love affair destroys his career, Kise Ryouta finds himself in a sleepy country town with nothing but two weird new roommates, an entry-level job at a flower shop, and the attention of the family that owns the local grocery store, Kasamatsu Grocery. KISEKASA, eventual AOKURO, MIDOTAKA. Eventual M-Rated.
1. Chapter One: A Cock and a Tape Measure

**Do not own. **

**Enjoy!**

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Momoi had been nice enough to help him pack his things into three neat little bags and four boxes stuffed to the brim with all the little knick knacks he'd collected over the years. It was a long process that had taken a few days but Momoi was unsurprisingly patient with him and it actually went by quite fast and, before he knew it, his car was packed and ready for departure.

Midorima had somehow agreed to see him off as well, which was nice, considering his friend from junior high always seemed too busy for Kise since he opened his own practice. He had given him a gift according to his horoscope for the day – a green kitten keychain that Kise immediately choked up over before placing on his phone – and told him to stay out of trouble and take his vitamins. Kise hugged him and although Midorima cursed at him to stop; Kise held on for awhile longer.

His two friends waved for as long as Kise's rearview mirror had them in sight and Kise allowed himself to let a few tears loose as he maneuvers through the city. They had been two important people in his life for the past six months – probably the only two people that had stayed true friends during this entire clusterfuck. Kise would probably call them every night just to tell them how thankful he was for them.

…

He arrived at the sleepy town of Namimori long after sundown. It was originally supposed to only take him two hours to find his new apartment but with so many cute little cafes and souvenir shops, how was he supposed to focus? When he finally arrived at his new place, he had only to turn on his model face and the landlady soon forgot her anger at having to miss her evening drama for this. She had gave him the key and with a slimy grin, told him that if he needed anything at all, to call her.

The house was of the traditional sort on the outskirts of town, surrounded only by trees on one side and, on the other, a public bath and the inn the landlady and her husband owned. Town was within walking distance, maybe five or ten minutes? It had a cozy sort of feel to it, made of deep dark oaks with shrubbery hugging the sides.

As Kise fingered the key he wondered what sort of roommates he would have. There were no apartments in town and the only place that was renting a room was here. After seeing the photograph, Kise had eagerly agreed to it (which Midorima later scolded him for his hurried decision making) without even asking what sort of people lived there.

And, looking back on it, he probably should have asked about them, because his first glance at his two roommates was a massive cock and a tape measure.

"Um." Kise dropped his bag and felt his face break out in a cold sweat.

"Oh hey!" The man that had been on his knees, tape measure in hand, jumped up to his feet and all but skipped to Kise. The man with his pants around his ankle – as nonchalantly as possible – pulled up his pants and joined them in the entry way.

"Um." Kise repeated, taking in the two before him. One was shorter with black hair pushed back by a bright yellow headband. He had a white tanktop on with a pair of pink shorts. The tape measure still dangled in his hand. The other was taller, just a few centimeters taller than Kise with dark skin – a foreigner? – and short dark hair. He looked bored and not at all embarrassed at the fact that he had just been walked in on without any pants on.

"I'm Takao Kazunari. Nice to meet 'ya!" Takao grabbed Kise's hands and shook them happily. "This is Aomine Daiki –" A bored 'yo' came from the taller one "- We were wondering when you were gonna get here! Granny was yelling at us over it and we were like, 'Oh my god, Granny, chill!' But she was, like, nagging us over it and man, it's good to see you."

Kise felt himself grin a little at how much energy this guy had. He could just image how different he was than his two friends that he had left back home.

"I'm Kise Ryouta. Please take care of me!" Kise bowed, temporarily forgetting about the scene that he had just walked in on.

"Well, let us show you to your room!" Takao grabbed Kise's hand again and led him through the back hall. "You'll love it here. It's real quiet but that's what's good about it. Although, I hear you're from the city, so I don't know how it'll compare. Hey – haven't I seen you somewhere?"

Kise vigorously shook his head, feeling his cheeks redden. "No, no, um, yes I'm from the city, but I doubt you've seen me before." Kise pushed the glasses he had brought as disguise further up his nose like Midorima usually did when he was annoyed and continued to shake his head.

"Are you sure? You look familiar, right, Mine-chan?"

Aomine stood in the doorway of Kise's new room, leaning against the wall. "Not really," he yawned.

Takao just shrugged and gestured around the room, showing Kise the futon and how to work the space heater. Somewhere along the tour, Aomine had slipped out, leaving Kise alone with the little bundle of energy.

"So, why'd you decide to move out here?" They were now sitting on the futon that Takao had insisted on laying out for Kise. It was late and Kise was tired but he didn't really have the heart to tell Takao that he wanted to sleep.

"Oh, you know, I got sick of working as a businessman," Kise shrugged, paying with the corner of the blanket. "I've never lived anywhere but the city, so I thought this would be a good change."

"Yeah, Mine-chan and I are just the opposite." Takao leaned back on his hands. "We've grown up here and only been to Tokyo like twice. Crazy, huh?"

The mention of Aomine made Kise remember the image he had walked in on and found himself blushing. He didn't have any problem with homosexuals – in his industry, they were everywhere and he himself wouldn't really say he would rule out being with a man, but he wasn't expecting his roommates to be a couple. A gay couple.

Kise blushed at a not-so distant memory before pushing away thoughts of the past and asking: "So you and Aomine-san have been together for awhile then?"

"Oh, sure. Our dads were teammates on our schools basketball team and they made us play together all the time when we were little." Takao grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "We've been friends for a long time, even if he's a little bit of a yankee."

"Friends?" Kise quickly regretting saying it out loud.

Takao looked confused for only a second before laughing like a hyena. "Ooooh. Sorry, I guess I should explain." Takao leaned in, winking. "We aren't a couple, I was just measuring his dick cause I didn't believe it was actually as long as he said it was."

"Eh?" Kise felt his ears tingle.

Takao laughed again before standing and heading for the door.

"Sorry, Kise-kun, but this is the kind of idiots you gotta deal with out here in the goonies." Takao laughed again before excusing himself for bed.

Kise laid down, burying his hot face into the pillow, trying to grasp just how different country people were to city people.

Midorima would probably skin him alive if he tried to mention the size of their dicks.

…

Morning came too fast but the soft chirps of the singing birds outside was a welcome alarm clock. Kise stretched, realizing he was still in his travel clothes and quickly showered and changed into a plain t-shirt and jeans. He cleaned his glasses and tucked his newly-dyed black hair under a baseball cap.

Takao and Aomine must still be asleep as Kise left the house in search for food. He passed the inn and stopped for a few minutes to talk with the landlady over trivial matters. He bid her a good day before continuing down the road to town.

Namimori, according to the travel guide he had found in a magazine at the doctor's office, was a quaint little place with traditional values and customs. They offered an inn – the one next door to Kise's new place – and a small Buddhist temple with a beautiful botanical garden on the north side of town that hosted grand festivals in every season. They had local delicacies and hidden treasures littered throughout the streets and, to top it all off, the people were friendly and welcoming to new comers and travelers alike.

Although the travel guide probably was over exaggerating, Kise found himself slowly falling in love with the quiet streets of Namimori. Most buildings were old, made with dark woods or painted dull colors that reflected the woods that surrounded them. A river flowed through the town and offered a beautiful picture as Kise walked along the water's edge. The sun was just barely over the horizon and the air was still early-spring crisp. The cherry blossom had all fallen, painting the ground pink and Kise found himself thinking of home as he sat on a boulder at the edge of the river.

It was a little over a year ago when he first met him. He was tall, strong, good-looking with a smile that made Kise rethink everything. When they first met, it was early spring like this but the cherry blossoms were still in bloom. His finance, a TV host for a popular cooking show, was linked at his arm and they walked through the park. The man was with his own lover, hands linked and as they passed by each other, Kise felt his knees go weak.

A few days later, Kise had had his first experience with a man and so began his downfall from the heavens, at least in the eyes of the public.

But that was over now and here he was, in the small town of not four thousand, sitting, alone, at the water's edge – away from the city, away from everything that had gone terribly wrong, away from photographs, questioning eyes and disappointed faces.

Kise sighed before pulling himself away from the memories.

"Hey! Kise-kun!"

Kise jumped at the sharp voice that ripped through the soft trickle of the river.

"Good morning, Takao-san, Aomine-san." Kise stood as his two roommates approached him. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, when I got up this morning, I noticed that we didn't really have any food to make for breakfast, so I thought that I should go to the grocery store. Mine-chan saw you leave the house when he was coming back from his morning run and said you were in town, so I thought we could all go together!" Takao laughed sheepishly, his cheeks a bit pink, maybe from the crisp air or embarrassment, either way, Kise was touched.

"Yes, that sounds great, I'm starving!"

Takao laughed, leading his two roommates away from the fall cherry blossoms and through the streets of Namimori. A few people were out by now, all staring at the newcomer as Takao paraded him through town.

Finally, after being stopped a few times by old ladies in order to be introduced to the tall, young, blonde, they arrived at the grocery store.

It was a run-down sort of place, with potted plants and some shelves lining the outside. The windows were littered with posters for sales and advertisements for other local establishments. The white paint was chipping and peeling, showing an ash-brown wood that seemed to match surrounding buildings. The actual sign for the store was missing a few letters so it read: _K_amats_ Gro_ry. _

Kise winced at the overall image of the place, realizing that what Takao said last night about country folk being entirely another breed of people seemed to be true as people freely walked in and out of the market, ignoring the horrible façade. If they'd been in the city, no one would step foot in that place.

Inside, the smells of any normal supermarket hit Kise and made his stomach growl in anticipation. Although things were messy with boxes everywhere and the products weren't neatly placed, a grocery store was a grocery store and, somehow, Kise found it charming as they walked up and down each isle, filling their cart with supplies for a home made up of three males, which included a lot of instant ramen, beef, and beer.

Granted, due to his previous profession, Kise wasn't used to consuming any of that, but he felt himself become giddy with anticipation.

…

"So, it's going good, Kise-kun?"

"My roommates seem nice." Kise was laying on his futon after his first time in a public bath. "Takao-kun – he kept insisting that I call him either that or his first name, aren't people so nice here? – is a nurse at the old people's home and usually works nights, isn't that interesting? And Aomine-kun is a policeman, isn't that cool?"

"Very cool, Kise-kun."

"They're so amazing and nice and friendly and they're really good friends and, oh my god, Momoi, I really like them."

"I'm happy to hear that, Kise-kun."

"Am I boring you?" Although he'd known Momoi since his breakout as a model in high school, and although she had always been loyal to him, she had her own life to deal with, a crazy firefighter husband and a little baby girl on the way, Kise sometimes worried that he was only trouble for her.

"Not at all," Momoi was smiling now, "I'm glad that you are enjoying your new life."

Kise felt his eyes well. His new life. His new life without his friends, his career, his huge apartment. Everything was in the past now and today, right at this moment, he was just Kise Ryouta, an ex-businessman from the city looking for a stress-free life. He had no job now (although he would still be receiving some annuities from his last magazine gig) and no real friends like before.

"It's nice to be able to walk down the street without being judged."

Yes, that was a definite plus with this new life.

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**Chapter One Complete! **

**I literally have 20 pages written, so I will be updating quite quickly. Next chapter – meet Senpai! **

**Reviews would be wonderful! Thank you for reading. **


	2. Chapter Two: A Senpai and a Floral Shop

**Do not own.**

**Enjoy.**

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It was a rainy early April afternoon when Kise decided to get a job.

First, he went to the inn and asked if the landlady needed help but she had just shooed him away and scolded him for taking a week before going out to find work. He bowed multiple times before heading into told. He visited the convenience store where a snotty teenage girl told him to get lost before Kise took off his glances and gave her his best model face which made her blush and dribble down her sweater a little. He walked out with his head held high.

He tried at the tofu shop but although the lady offered him to marry her daughter, there were no openings. The Chinese restaurant said no with a similar offer. Finally, Kise went to the grocery store because he thought for sure that grocery stores were always hiring.

"Um, hello?"

"What'd you want?" He was a teenage boy, thick black brows, spiky black hair and striking blue-grey eyes. He had a blue sweatshirt on under his green work apron and one earbud in, his fingers tapping to whatever he was listening to. Kise could vaguely hear the sound of a guitar solo.

"Are you hiring?"

"Did you see a sign?" The boy asked – Kise squinted past his glasses to see the nametag the boy was wearing: Kasamatsu Jun.

"No, but I thought –"

"Well, we ain't hiring, Mr. Glasses." The boy clipped, putting his other earbud back into his ear. "If they'd be a sign maybe that question would make sense."

"Hey now, list –"

"No, you listen, Mr. Glasses, we ain't hirin' and can't you see I'm kinda busy here?" the kid gestured to his earbud and apron. "Now get lost –"

"Oi, Jun, show some respect!"

Kise stood open mouthed as a man, a bit taller than the teenager but same eyebrows and almost the same hair, maybe a bit shorter and clean cut, came up from behind and whacked Jun with a clipboard.

"Stop it, aniki!" Jun grunted, trying to swat away his older brother. "Get off!"

"We're sorry for the disrespect, sir." The oldest of the two bowed, forcing his younger brother's head down.

"Ah – no, it's okay."

"See, its fine." Jun said, finally a safe distance away from his brother. "No biggie."

"Shut the hell up." The other snapped, hitting him again for good measure, "Go do something productive."

As Jun walked away, smirking at Kise as he went.

"Can I help you with something, sir?" Kise read his nametag: Kasamatsu Yukio.

"Um, I was just asking if there was an opening for a job." Kise mumbled, feeling self-conscious for asking again.

"Ah, did you see the ad in the newspaper?" Kasamatsu Yukio scratched at his chin. "Sorry, but that was a mistake on the newspaper's part. We filled that position last week."

"Oh, um, actually, I didn't see it. I just moved here, so I haven't had the chance to read it." Kise smiled. "I was just going around and asking."

"Ah, I see," Kasamatsu smiled back. "I think the floral shop across the street is looking for someone."

"Really?!" Kise felt himself get excited, he reached for Kasamatsu's hands and held them tightly, "Thank you so much, Kasamatsu-san! I've been looking all day and I've been turned all over town and I was starting to get discouraged! Thank you so much! Ah, Kasamatsu-senpai, thank you!"

Kasamatsu looked completely taken aback at the gesture, his cheeks turned a cute pink color that made Kise happy somehow, but it quickly vanished as he pulled away. "Oi, stupid, who are you calling senpai? You don't even know if I'm older! And I didn't even introduce myself!"

"Wah, senpai is calling me stupid?" Kise laughed a little. "You just seem like a very responsible type of man!"

"What an idiot…" The newly titled Kasamatsu-senpai blushed some more.

"Thank you so much!" Kise repeated, bowing once too many times before turning to leave for the shop across the street. Before he made his exit he turned quickly to the man that still stood dumbfounded: "Oh by the way, my name is Kise Ryouta! Nice to meet you!"

And, with that, Kise turned to go, adding another bow for good measure.

Kise had noticed the quaint little shop as he walked through the town, always thinking that it was one of the cutest things in town. It had reminded him the small café just down the street from his old place where he would meet Haruka-chan every Sunday afternoon before their engagement.

Maybe that's why he had avoided going in.

The little bell rung as he waltzed in, taking off his baseball hat and fluffing out his dark hair.

"Welcome." A quiet voice called out from the counter, an arrangement of flowers hiding the face.

"Hello, sir!" Kise came further into the room. "Kasamatsu-senpai just told me that you were hiring, is that true?" Kise leaned over the counter, finally seeing who the meek voice had belonged to.

A slight young man sat on a stool, a light orange blanket covering his shoulders. He had bright eyes that matched his hair but he looked pale, almost sick beneath the florescent lights of the shop. On his lap sat a puppy, a huskie, with his own little orange sweater.

"Kasamatsu-senpai?" The man looked surprised. "He let you call him that?"

"Aw, well, not really, but isn't he the type?" Kise nodded vigorously as he could tell the man was starting to nod absentmindedly at the thought.

"I'm Kuroko Tetusya. I apologize for not greeting you properly, but I'm quite sick and can't get up and move about normally." Kuroko bowed in his seat, his puppy yipping happily up at Kise.

"Oh, please, don't worry about it! I'm Kise Ryouta, I've just moved here." Kise shook Kuroko's outstretched hand and tried to be gentle (although it was quite hard since the excitement was still coursing through his veins).

"Kise-kun, it's nice to meet you." Kuroko moved to the flowers away and pulled a white slip of paper from beneath them and handed it to Kise. "I'm hiring a helper since I can't move around as before."

Kise looked over the sheet and grinned: no mention of references. "I'm very energetic and very helpful! I don't know much about flowers but I'm a fast leaner! I promise I can totally be useful! When did you want this back? Is it okay if I can bring it back tomorrow? Do you think more people will come in and ask to be hired?"

Kuroko blinked once before finally saying: "You're quite annoying aren't you?"

"Eh?!" Kise gave a puppy dog look – one that Midorima hated so much that he's resorted to grabbing his bottom lip whenever Kise did it to him – and pretended to pout. "The travel report said the people here were nice but both you and Kasamatsu-senpai have been mean, calling me annoying and an idiot!"

Kuroko found himself smiling a bit at the simpleton standing before him.

"I think I will hire you, Kise-kun."

"Really!" Kise nearly jumped out of his skin at the news. In all honesty, he's never really had a job like this before: he couldn't wait to call Momoi and Midorima to tell them. "Are you serious, Kurokocchi?"

"Eh? Kurokocchi?" Kuroko looked annoyed as he kicked his new employee out of his shop while Kise just laughed and yelled out in joy.

…

"A job! Wow, Kise-kun, that's great!"

Aomine, Takao and Kise were all sitting around the their table, their ramen and beer before them. Kise wasn't such a fan of the single-man diet as he thought he would be – mostly because he had gained a few grams – but he had to admit that ramen was damn good with an ice cold beer with the game on in the background.

"Where?"

"The floral shop across from the grocery store."

"What?!" Aomine slammed his can of beer down on the table, making both Takao and Kise jump. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Aomine got up and stalked out of the living room, only to slam the door to his room shut.

"Um, did I do something wrong?"

During the past week, Aomime had only said a few words to Kise, just the obligatory 'good mornings' and 'good nights' but that had been all. Kise had seen him during at the police box, helping old ladies with their groceries or with crossing the street, which at least showed Kise that he wasn't a complete robot. It hadn't really bothered Kise all that much because, after all that's happened in the past few months, Kise learned that sometimes people just wanted to be left alone.

"No, Kise-kun, it's just –" Takao stopped, playing with his chopsticks. "Mine-chan just doesn't really get along with Kuroko-san."

"Kurokocchi?" Kise furrowed his brows. "He's so sweet."

"Yeah, yeah he is, but they just aren't on the best of terms." Takao shrugged as nonchalantly as he could but Kise sensed that this wasn't the entire story but he dropped it because it wasn't fair to demand another person's story when he wasn't telling the complete truth of his own.

They watched the game for a bit before remembering his grocery store encounter.

"Oh yeah, Takao-kun, I met Kasamatsu-senpai today!"

"Kasamatsu-senpai?" Takao laughed wildly, "That's what we call him too! But, ya know, he actually was our senpai in high school."

"He totally acts like it! He helped me today and I felt like I was a first year and he was totally a third year on the first day of school. He even protected my honor against his younger brother!"

"Whoa, Kise-kun, you may wanna kept that bit to yourself…"

"Eh?!"

"Jun-chan is still in high school and you're like what? Twenty-four? Shouldn't you be able to protect yourself from a high schooler?"

…

"Senpai! Senpai! Look I got hired!" Kise called happily, waving at Kasamatsu from across the road.

"Senpai?" Kasamatsu Jun repeated, his mouth open in a wide grin. "He's your kouhai now?"

"Shut up." Kasamatsu Yukio slapped his younger brother upside the head and out-right ignored Kise as he entered his grocery store to open for the day. "We have work to do."

Kise grinned to himself, already enjoying his new senior.

Kuroko was already sitting at his counter, his puppy, whose name was Nigou, sat by his feet, wearing a mint green sweater today.

"Good morning, Kise-kun." Kuroko sighed, rubbing his temples. "I see you're already making a ruckus this morning."

"Aw, sorry about that, but it's important that I greet Kasamatsu-senpai after all he's done for me."

Kuroko just sighed, not really realizing what exactly 'all he's done for me' meant since all Kasamatsu did was tell him that Kuroko was hiring (which Kuroko would have to personally _thank_ Kasamatsu-san for doing). But whatever, it was none of his business what his employee did before work hours.

"Well, let's with taking morning inventory."

...

Time had went by quickly and, before Kise knew it, a month had already passed. Kise lived his life as if he really was just an ex-businessman and not what he really had become. He still kept his glasses on and had to re-dye his hair last week but everything was fine. Midorima called a few times a week and Momoi was getting closer to giving birth so Kise didn't hold it against her for not calling as often as the other. Life was completely normal, the cherry blossoms were gone, his dreams consisted of trivial things and not of the scary nightmares of the past few months, and nobody treated him any different than what they took him for.

And, work, well, work was pretty good.

Honestly, he had no idea why Aomine had a tiff with Kurokocchi. He was literally one of the nicest people Kise had ever met.

"_Are you an idiot?!" _

Well, maybe 'nice' was the wrong word. More like 'genuine.' People that Kise used to work with were nice because they were paid to be but the moment you'd turn your back, they'd be talking about every inch of dirt related to your name. Kise was used to dealing with fake people, but Kuroko was nowhere like that; in fact, every one he'd met in Namimori was entirely genuine.

Including a certain owner of the supermarket across the street.

In the past month, Kise had learned a lot of the people he's come to know in town. First there was Takao-kun. Takao came from just outside of town; his parents still lived in his childhood home where they were still raising his younger sister who'd Kise met when she and her friends came into the floral shop to flirt with him.

Then there was Aomine-kun. They still didn't talk much but Takao was a good source of information on all matters 'Mine-chan.' His dad had been a police officer and his mom had been a Brazilian immigrant that had fallen in love with the humble police officer. Their only son was the joy of their life and they tended to spoil him when he was younger. Today, his parents lived in Rio and visited every so often to take care of their only child. Takao still wouldn't spill anything over why Aomine refused to even step inside the floral shop, but Kise was comfortable around Aomine enough that he wasn't in _that_ much of a hurry to figure it all out.

Kurokocchi, his boss, had absolutely no patience with him at all. He often strained his soft voice to scold Kise. It was a hard job, he had to do all the inventory, cleaning and arranging the back room. Kuroko wouldn't let him work the cash register although there was an influx of women of all ages coming in to visit the handsome new dark haired, glasses wearing employee. Kise enjoyed being an entry level employee though, he enjoyed doing work that he downright sucked at because all his life he'd been allowed to be somewhat of a little prince.

But one of his newest favorite things about Namimori was early mornings.

He'd walk into town, come up to the shop with the key that Kuroko made for him, and stop and wait. In just seconds Kasamatsu-senpai would come down the empty road on his bike. Kise would pretend to be just opening the floral shop door when Kasamatsu greeted him a good morning.

"Good morning, Senpai." Kise would smile and wave, feeling his ears tingle as Kasamatsu still flushed at the title.

"Morning." Kasamatsu would mumble under his breath.

And then they'd just go on with their day. The Kasamatsu Grocery would open and the floral shop would open. Kise would sweep the front step and Kasamatsu would sweep his own front step. He'd wave again and his new senpai would just shake his head and continue to work. Jun would come over after his school and scoff at Kise through the window. Kise learned that there was another Kasamatsu son, Hayato, a first year in high school that seemed to be MIA whenever Kise was at the store.

"So what's their story, huh?"

It was a slow May afternoon, no one had come in since earlier in the morning so Kise and Kuroko were both sitting behind the counter. Kuroko had deep circles under his eyes and he still kept a blanket over his shoulders even though it was getting hotter by the day. Kise hadn't asked what sort of sickness he had and he wasn't going to say anything until he was told.

"The Kasamatsu's?" Kuroko asked, slowly petting Nigou who was in his lap.

"Yeah. Senpai is so shy that we only talk about the weather and things like that." Kise sighed, watching the store front from across the street.

"Well they live over by the river in a small little house. My granny used to live right next door to them before she moved to the nursing home a few years ago." Kuroko smiled to himself at the mention of his grandmother. "It had always been men living in that house. Their mother had never been around and passed away a few years after Hayato-kun was born, although none of the boys were ever concerned over it."

"Their father?" Kise kept his eyes on the store.

"He was great." Kuroko danced over the word 'was.' "Every kid in the neighborhood loved him. He was the basketball coach and he would always give away free sweets to kids who went with their moms at the store. He always had a smile on his face."

"He sounds wonderful."

"He was." Kuroko sighed. "Everyone is town was devastated when he passed away last year."

Kise asked what had happened.

"A drunk driver had hit him on his way back from deliveries in the next town over." Kuroko said quietly. "Ever since then Kasamatsu-san has been in charge of the store and his younger brothers. He's done a really good job as a father figure for them. He's a very capable young man."

Kise smiled. Kasamatsu-senpai sounded like a really good guy, another genuine country guy.

"Speaking of Kasamatsu-san," Kuroko's voice sounded somewhere excited, "Every month we have a get together for all the young men business owners."

"Really?!" Kise recalled a manga he once read that had something like that and he felt giddy at the thought of it.

"Since I won't be able to go, you should go as my representative."

Kise hopped up, "Are you serious, Kurokocchi?! I would love to go!"

* * *

**It's a very slow start to this story, but it will pick up with more KiseKasa next chapter!**

**Thanks. **


	3. Chapter Three: A Drink and A Truth

Although both Takao and Aomine weren't store owners, they had apparently been attending this event ever since they were legally allowed to drink. The three bachelors walked in to town to one of the local bars and sat together next to Miyaji-san, the son of the owner of the convenience store and Wakamatsu-san, the son of the owner of another bar in town. Kise sat quietly as Takao made bag jokes and Aomine slammed down shots of sake and pints of beer.

Just as Kise was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, when the front doors open and in came the young owner of the local grocery store accompanied by two tall dark haired men that seemed to be his friends; Kise had seen them around before, perhaps Kobori and Moriyama?

Anyways, all day Kise had been thinking about the Kasamatsu's and all the responsibilities the eldest son had to carry. Kise found himself standing, excusing himself from his roommates and wondering over to where Kasamatsu sat.

"'Evening, Senpai." Kise said as he slid into the sit next to Kasamatsu. He greeted the other two but they continued to talk with the others, something about one of the daughters at the temple.

"Hey." Kasamatsu looked completely comfortable surrounded by his friends with a can of beer in his hand.

Kise found himself smiling as Kasamatsu starting smiling into his drink: "So how's the job?"

"Great! Kurokocchi is really nice and helpful in teaching me." Kise was slurring his words a little but everything he was saying he said from the bottom of his heart. "I really love working there… It's way different than my previous job."

Kasamatsu stared at him for a moment before scoffing. "I don't get you."

"Huh? Why?"

"You come from the big city, right? People say you were some big shot businessman and now you move here to the boonies where there's nothing really going on. You work at a job that most high schoolers would fill and you love it. You greet me every morning and call me senpai."

Kise was silent before laughing: "Whoa, Senpai! You know me so well! I'm honored!"

"Shut up, you simpleton." Kise received a light slap on the head. "It's just weird."

"Ah, well we all have our reasons for doing things, right?" Kise shrugged, putting his drink down, feeling like he would soon say or do something that wouldn't be good: Senpai's eyes were just so captivating.

"So what's your reason?" Kasamatsu asked bluntly, taking another drink.

Kise opened his mouth because he really did want to tell Kasamatsu. Ever since he moved here, things changed. He was no longer Kise Ryouta, the idol, model and playboy turned engaged man. There were no cameras, no affairs, no shallow people. He had told no one about his past life, he hadn't told anyone why he had to run away, he told no one that he was heartbroken because his lover – who had happened to be a man – had betrayed him and tipped the press off. He told no one that he had been so stupid to invest everything he was into a reputation that was built off everything that was superficial in this world.

But he wanted to.

Takao and Aomine would surely be trusted but Kise didn't want things to change between him and his roommates. He liked how they drank beer and ate ramen while they watched baseball or game shows together. He liked hearing about Takao's little sister and her many boyfriends, about Aomine's parents, about the nursing home gossip or the latest news from the police box.

There was Kuroko, who Kise really respected. He didn't know much about the man, just that he had inherited the store from his granny after she moved into the nursing home that Takao worked at. He knew Kuroko was ill and unable to do many things a young man of twenty four should be able to do and there was a trust between them in that Kise never mentioned it or treated his boss any different.

And those three had probably become the closest to Kise over the past month, but the man that sat next to him, in a pair of worn jeans and a button up with a little stain on his collar, with the messy dark hair and striking blue eyes was something out of a dream. They barely talked but their morning routine had grabbed ahold of Kise that every time he'd have a day off, he found himself missing the dusting of pink across Senpai's face whenever he called out to him.

"Um, well," Although he had been consuming alcohol all night, Kise was alert and nervous; his palms were sweating and his heart was beating so fast he felt himself want to be sick. "It's a long story."

Kasamatsu gave him a look that Kise imaged his friends and brothers received it all the time. "Let me guess, you got your heart broken."

Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was just the fact that Kise hadn't really met someone like Kasamatsu Yukio during his short time here on earth but before he knew what he was doing, he was asking Kasamatsu-senpai out to have a smoke.

Now, Kise didn't smoke – bad for the hair, skin, voice, etc – he didn't even have a pack on him, but Kasamatsu still agreed and pulled out his own pack and handed an extra over to Kise. Kasamatsu inhaled deeply and sighed.

"It gets pretty crowded in there when you get all those idiots together."

"Yeah." Kise nodded numbly, the unlit cigarette still in his hands.

"Just wait a few more hours, they get really nosy and they all have to call their wives to come and get them."

"Do you have a wife, Senpai?" Kise found himself asking blindly – he had never seen a woman that could be a Mrs. Kasamatsu Yukio but you never knew.

"Eh?" Kasamatsu inhaled again, forcing back the red on his cheeks. "I don't have time for a relationship… Plus –"

"Yes?" Kise had let the cigarette slip from his fingers as he turned eagerly towards Kasamatsu.

"Um, well, my brothers wouldn't appreciate being pushed to the side burner if I had a, um, girlfriend." Kasamatsu was definitely blushing now that Kise's entire attention was on him. "They're my biggest priority right now."

"Senpai, you're so great." Kise breathed out, feeling his chest tighten.

"What? Are you an idiot? It's just my job as the eldest." Kasamatsu scoffed. "What about you? Have any siblings?"

"Three sisters, but they're older." Kise said quickly, wanting to return back to his senpai. "Wouldn't they understand if you had a girlfriend, though? Wouldn't they want you to be happy? I bet women really like that you're responsible."

Kasamatsu looked shocked for a second before looking away.

"I don't really talk to very many women." He admitted. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the fact that Kasamatsu had never really met anyone like Kise before, but he found his lips moving on their own. "I didn't grow up with any women in my life, so it's quite different to –"

"Oh my god, Senpai, you're so cute." Kise wailed, wanting desperately to grab ahold of the man before him.

"Shut the hell up, you moron." Kasamatsu stomped on his cigarette with his sneakers. "I don't even know why the hell I'm talking to you about this."

They were both silent for a moment as Kise tried to collect his thoughts and Kasamatsu tried to stop his ears from burning an even darker shade of red.

Finally, Kise broke the silence: "Yeah, I left the city cause the person I loved betrayed me."

"She cheat on you?"

"You're so blunt, Senpai." Kise didn't even pretend to be offended. "But no, they were actually my lover. They told, um, well they told some important people and it made my life hell."

Kasamatsu was silent this time, suddenly very interested in his pack of cigarettes.

"So I ran away to this place." Kise shrugged, suddenly wishing he had never said anything. "I left everything and came to this place to start over."

"I thought you looked familiar." Kasamatsu said, finally turning to face Kise, all red drained from his face.

"What?" Kise stuttered, feeling nervous under that icy grey stare.

"You dyed your hair and put on glasses, right?" Kasamatsu said it as if it were no big deal. "I recognized you the moment I saw you. Kise Ryouta, the idol that had the perfect life yet when his male lover came forward, disappeared into the abyss. Am I right?"

Kise sat there with his open hanging open, his heart pounding in his ears, and his knees beginning to go weak. His stomach was flopping in his stomach and he wanted nothing more than to go back into the bar and drink until he didn't remember who he was, where he ended up and the man before him.

"We get all the tabloids in the store," Kasamatsu shrugged, as if that explained it. He continued once he was met with only silence: "All the old ladies love them. Your face has been over them for awhile so it shouldn't be a surprise that I knew it was you."

Kise ducked his head, feeling his eyes burn. "Does anyone else know?"

Kasamatsu shrugged again. "I doubt Takao or Aomine know, they're as big of idiots as you. I haven't heard any gossip about you other than you're the most handsome face in town. Nothing out of the ordinary. If anyone else knows, it's probably Jun, although he wouldn't say anything. He may think you're an annoying idiot but there's no way he would do something like that."

Kise pressed his hand to his mouth and doubled over: "I think I'm going to be sick."

Kasamatsu called him an idiot and hit him on the head before leading him to the nearest trash can and placing Kise's head in it. He just patted his back once Kise had finished, not commenting on the tears that streamed down Kise's face.

"I'll walk you home."

The walk home was made in silence. Kise fiddled with the end of his t-shirt, wishing he had a glass of water to wash the bad taste from his mouth. Next to him, Kasamatsu lit another cigarette and kept his eyes on the road ahead of him. They walked back in silence and Kise wished he knew what to say. Before, when he lived back in the city, he hadn't had to ever worry about making conversation because, well, 1) most people didn't know his deepest secret like the man next to him did and 2) people would push each other out of the way just to make conversation with _the _Kise Ryouta.

But, as he's learned, Kasamatsu is completely and entirely another story altogether.

The house was quiet as they walked in through the front door. Kise immediately went to the bathroom to wash his mouth out and Kasamatsu followed behind, his shoes throw carelessly in the entry way.

"It's gotten neater since you've moved in," he noted as Kise finished gargling with some mouth wash.

"You've been here before?"

"Yeah." Kasamatsu said curtly, keeping his eyes on Kise, who had taken off his hat and glasses since entering the bathroom. "You really don't look all that good-looking in person, huh?"

Kise blinked: "Eh?! Senpai! You're joking, right?"

Kise turned to the mirror and looked at every inch of his face.

Kasamatsu laughed and reached out to ruffle Kise's dark hair. "I don't see why anyone would want to be your lover."

"Senpai!" Kise wailed, blushing at the gesture.

"And your personality isn't anything special either, huh?" Kasamatsu had a teasing smile on his lips, "This guy must've been a grade-A idiot to have liked you."

Kise wailed some more, stomping his foot as he insisted he was voted one of the best looking men in all Japan and that everyone said his personality was something to die for.


	4. Chapter Four: A Brother and Another Bro

When morning finally came, Kise woke with a splitting headache and upset stomach. He didn't realize he had drank so much last night because he remembered every second of what had happened with Kasamatsu.

The thought of the short dark haired male made Kise turn over and groan into his pillow. He knew – someone knew who he was and the pit in Kise's stomach sank even lower. Senpai probably thought he was a baby now for running away or that he was irresponsible for having an affair or that he was disgusting for liking a man. Kise groaned again.

After taking the longest shower he's ever taken (he was only stopped because Takao kept bagging on the door to take a dump), Kise managed to pull on a fresh pair of clothing, his glasses and hat and exited the bachelor pad.

The walk to work was slow because the sun was too goddamn bright for seven in the morning and the birds were too loud. Kise wished he would have grabbed sunglasses and a pair of ear plugs from Takao's room (apparently Aomine snored really loud).

And, of course, it didn't help that right before he managed to make it to Kuroko's flower shop, the one and only Kasamatsu Jun was waiting for him, leaning against a broom, his green apron on but his earbuds wrapped neatly in his pocket.

"Yo Mr. Glasses." Jun stepped in line with Kise, blocking his way from the floral shop. "How was last night?"

Kise felt his heart stop. He remembered how he had made Kasamatsu-senpai pinky-promise not to tell anyone of Kise's true identity.

"F-Fine."

"Brother came home later than usual." Jun grinned, "He smelled of cigarettes."

"Yeah, so?" Kise was waiting for it, waiting for Jun to announce who Kise really was.

"He only smells of cigarettes when he's really stressed or when he meets someone he's nervous about." Jun didn't let Kise respond. "He normally doesn't smoke when he's with his friends. Last time he's came home smelling that much was after a marriage candidate date. Dad made him sleep in the back yard."

Kise stood there, speechless.

"I've got my eye on you two."

"Oi, Jun, get your ass in here and start restocking! We opened ten minutes ago!"

Kise stood in the middle of the road, unaware of the people that started moving throughout town during the early Saturday morning. Was Kasamatsu Jun, third year high school student, part-time worker at Kasamatsu Grocery and middle child of the Kasamatsu family, black-mailing him?

"Sorry about him," Kasamatsu-senpai brought Kise back to the real world, his voice harsh, "He's an idiot."

"I think he just threatened us."

"What?"

"He just told me that he had his eye on us."

"What the hell?"

"He thinks I make you nervous."

"What the fuck!" Kasamatsu was bright red and Kise thought for sure that steam was going to start erupting with smoke. "He said that? He fucking said that? When I get my hands on –"

Kise watched, open-mouthed, as Kasamatsu stomped back to his store, his face still bright red and his fist clenched in tight fists, and couldn't help but to laugh into the back of his hand at how utterly adorable Kasamatsu was being.

Somehow, watching his senpai storm into the grocery store, Kise felt at ease with whatever the situation was.

"Good morning, Kise-kun." Kuroko was already at the desk once Kise finally decide to enter the store. He had a thick blue quilt over his shoulders and the circles around his eyes were deeper, like he hadn't been sleeping properly. Even little Nigou seemed to be less than energetic as he laid in his doggy bed, head buried in his arms.

"Morning, Kurokocchi, would you like me to take over for today?" Kise had learned to read the signs and had only had to offer to take over a few times but each time Kuroko had refused.

So it didn't surprise Kise when Kuroko just shook him off and told him to start the morning inventory and sweeping.

The day went on in its normal lazy-Saturday way. Old women came in and chatted to Kuroko, insisting that he gets the latest dirt from his grandmother the next time he goes to visit her. Then came in Takao's younger sister with her friends, fluttering around Kise, trying their latest flirting techniques that they learned in all their magazines. Some middle-aged men came in, buying bouquets for forgotten birthdays, anniversaries or simple apologies. Finally, at one-thirty, Kise switched the sign to closed and watched as Kuroko took off down with road, on his way to the nursing home for his daily visit with his granny.

Kise finished taking stock and cleaning up around three and since he had nothing better to do, he exited the store, only to come face to face with a short, dark haired guy that looked a lot like the elder of the two Kasamatsu's.

The elusive Kasamatsu Hayato.

"Are you _the_ Kise Ryouta?" He had large blue eyes and his hair was cut so short that if Kise didn't know he was a first-year in high school, he would have guessed he was face to face with a middle schooler – or even an elementary schooler. "Kise Ryouta, the mode-"

Regardless of the total baby faced Kasamatsu that stood before him, Kise quickly pressed his hand to the kid's mouth, his heart pounding out of his chest.

"What are you saying! Shh!" Kise whispered, not caring that few women stopped to stare at the scene before them.

"Mmphf!" The youngest Kasamatsu tried to break away from Kise's hand but he was weak to pull away. "Mmmmpfffh!"

"Hold on!" Kise pulled Hayato around the side of the floral shop into the alleyway, making sure to not loosen his grip for fear of his identity being released. Once they had made it to the back of the store, Kise finally let go of the younger. "What the hell are you doing saying that outloud?!"

"I could call Aomine-san and he could arrest you for kidnapping me." Kise could see how this cute little kid was related to Jun and Senpai.

"I didn't kidnap you. I just took you, like, a few yards away." Kise whispered-screamed, still self-conscious of wandering eyes and ears (although it was pointless considering the back of the floral shop was just a narrow alleyway by the Chinese restaurant). "Now why are you saying that outloud!"

"I just wanted to know if you are," Kasamatsu Hayato shrugged. "I've waited a whole month to ask you this."

"A whole month? Wait – you knew?!"

"Um, duh?" Oh yes, he was definitely related to Jun. "Brother brought home the latest magazine with your face on it the week you arrived and last night he drank like three bottles of beer and talked about you in his sleep. Jun told me that you were brother's Kouhai and I wanted to meet you."

"Wait, what are you talking about?!"

"Brother. Kasamatsu Yukio, you know him right?" Hayato suddenly looked really bored. "He said you were an idiot but…"

"Wait, he talks about me?!" Kise had the sudden urge to grab ahold of the mini-Senpai in front of him and twirl him around.

"I just told you, he was talking about you last night when he was really drunk. He wouldn't shut up about how annoying you were and how lame you looked with glasses on."

"Eh?"

"Jun told me it was because you make brother nervous but now that I see you, I don't really get it. Maybe it's 'cause your famous." Hayato shrugged, "I didn't tell Jun that though cause he doesn't know that you're a model. He's the dumb one."

"Wait, but he said this –"

"He just thinks you're a homo."

"Eh?!" Kise's previous feelings of happiness were soon forgotten as feelings of, well, Kise couldn't really describe the sort of emotion he was feeling at this moment, all he knew was that he wanted to strangle all three of Kasamatsu brothers. Hayato, Kise wanted to strangle because his stupid cute little face was hiding a mastermind evil genius that made Kise extremely uncomfortable. Jun, because he was just a little shit and made Kise nervous with his threats and annoying green apron. And Senpai, because, well, Kise didn't really have a good reason to strangle him but he was on a roll and didn't want to neglect the eldest brother.

"And according to the magazines, you are." Hayato grinned, wagging his finger at Kise. "So are you and brother gonna do it then?"

"Oh my god," Kise clenched his fists to kept himself in check. "I can't be having this conversation with a baby face like you."

And, with that, Kise pushed pas the deceivingly cute Kasamatsu Hayato and stormed his way to the grocery store.

"I've got my eyes on you!" Hayato called from the alley as Kise entered the entrance.

It wasn't hard to find Senpai; all he had to do was follow the voice that was yelling and calling whoever he was yelling at an idiot (whom, Kise guessed, was either Jun or the hyperactive Hayakawa that Kise found to be really funny but Senpai found to be really annoying).

Luckily, it was the latter and Kise wouldn't have to deal with the middle son for the second time that day.

Once Kasamatsu noticed Kise, he dismissed Hayakawa and the ADD brunette took off to complete whatever task he had apparently messed up on.

"Senpai, we need to talk."

"'Bout what?" Kasamatsu flipped through the clipboard he was holding, shaking his head as he looked at the numbers. "Could it maybe wait until we close?"

"You close at, like, nine." Kise followed Kasamatsu as he started moving absentmindedly through the aisles towards the stock room. They passed by Jun on the way but Kise refused to look at him. "And this is pretty urgent."

"If it's about last night, I already told you, I'm not going to tell anyone." Kasamatsu sighed, tucking his pen into his pocket as he pushed the door open into the back room.

"It's not about that – Senpai, can you just listen for a second?" Kise tried to grab ahold of Kasamatsu's arm but he was moving around too much, moving inventory from shelf to shelf and flipping through his clipboard every so often.

"Just keep talking, I'm listening." Kasamatsu mumbled, scratching at his chin as he concentrated on the inventory for the ramen.

"I met Hayato-kun just now."

"Oh, yeah, I won't let him work here because he's falling behind in his school work."

"We had a little chat."

"About what?" Kasamatsu crouched down and started rummaging around in a box labeled 'sauces.'

"Oh, I don't know, about you, about me, about us."

"Okay. That's nice."

Kise sighed, feeling a knot appear in his neck.

"No, I don't think you understand, would you like me to quote your brother?"

"That's nice." Kasamatsu repeated, obviously too concentrated on whatever the hell he was doing.

"Senpai." Kise now understood why he wanted to strangle Kasamatsu. "He thinks we're homos."

It was quiet for a moment and Kise counted in his head until a large bang erupted in the stock room.

"Ow!" Another bang as Kasamatsu hit his head again on the shelving as he tried to stand. "What the fuck?"

Kise watched, his arms crossed and lips pressed together, as Kasamatsu finally managed to stand, his clipboard and box of sauces long forgotten. He had a hand on his head where he bumped it but he was turning around his circles, his face bright red and his eyebrows were screwed downwards in anger.

"Are you fucking with me?" Kasamatsu didn't wait for an answer. "Oh my fucking god, are you serious right now? What the hell did they say to you? It was Hayato, wasn't it? He's a little fucking devil. You think Jun is bad, no way, he's just an idiot that follows whatever Hayato says… I already smacked Jun for telling you that I'm nervous around you. Like, what the fuck is that? I am not nervous! Wait, what did they say to you?"

Kasamatsu had both hands gripped onto Kise's collar by the time he was done yelling/ranting/rambling.

"Done?" Kasamatsu managed to get out a nod. "He said he knew who I was, and that Jun had no clue, and he asked me if we were gonna do it."

Kise couldn't help but laugh as a new wave of red came rushing onto Kasamatsu's face and ears. Although the situation wasn't exactly what Kise was expecting when moving to Namimori, it wasn't anything horrible. Sure, a little high school knew who he was, but he really didn't seem concerned with telling people about his true identity, all he seemed to care about was making his brother and Kise's life as uncomfortable as possible.

And, hey, Kise could admit that the man before him wasn't completely off his radar for attractive men.

Not that he was interested.

Nope.

No way.

Not interested in the angry little man in front of him that was cursing his younger brothers to hell.

No.

"I swear to god I'm going to skin him and then feed him to the wolves when I get ahold of him."

"Senpai, it's not that big of a deal, right?" Kise mumbled, suddenly remembering his worries about Senpai thinking he was disgusting for liking men. "We can just tell them that I'm not, um, homo for you?"

"That's not the problem here, you moron." Kasamatsu was still red. "I don't care if you like men or not, I care that they are being little shitheads and trying to ruin our lives."

Kise didn't know how to respond and just tried to nod as Kasamatsu continued to talk about how much he was going to hurt his siblings once work ended and they were in the protection of their own household.

As Kise walked home in a daze, he wondered if he would be accounted responsible for not calling child services if one of the two Kasamatsu brothers turned up face-down in the river bed the next morning.

Kise was just turning out of town, towards home, when Takao rushed by him on his bike. The weekends were the only time when Takao had off and it was a miracle to even get him out of bed without promise of alcohol or his favorite TV show, so to see him in such a hurry, awoke Kise from his daydream.

"Takao-kun! What's wrong?" Kise asked, suddenly worried when he got a good look at Takao's pale face.

"It's Mine-chan, he just called from the hospital." Takao tried to even his breathing. "It's Kuroko-san. He fainted on his way to the nursing home!"

* * *

**Dun Dun Dun.  
**

**Thanks for reading/reviewing. **


	5. Chapter Five: A Half-Naked Brother

**A Big thanks to all reviews, reads, follows and favs. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Kise had no prior reason to hate hospitals.

When his eldest sister, who was a successful editor for one of the largest publishing firms in Tokyo, gave birth to her daughter, the hospital had been a place for celebrations. When his next eldest sister had gotten a nose job, again, the hospital served as a place to celebrate her new and improved look. Even when Kise broke his arm in high school, the hospital was a place for gathering almost all his classmates and all their wonderful gifts.

But now it was downright scary.

Apparently, Kuroko was just passing by the police box on the north side of town when he passed out. Aomine, being on duty, found him and carried him all the way to the hospital. He was currently pacing the hallway, his uniform making everyone who passed through the hall nervous.

After Kise and Takao arrived, Takao had tried to calm down Aomine by telling him to go take a smoke outside but Aomine refused, insisting that he stayed right outside the emergency unit until the doctors came out.

It was no doubt odd for Kise to see Aomine so concerned over Kuroko's health. True, any normal person would care what happened to someone as sweet as Kurokocchi was, but Kise was under the impression that Aomine couldn't even stand to hear his boss's name. So to see Aomine, sweat on his brow, his fists clenched not in anger, but in worry, was something out of a dream.

Takao sat next to him, his knees bouncing as he watched Aomine mumbled inaudible things under his breath.

"Takao-kun?" Kise nudged him with his knee.

When he didn't answer at first, Kise nudged him again, this time with his shoulder.

"Huh?" Takao snapped back to reality and turned to face Kise. "What is it?"

"What exactly is wrong with Kurokocchi? I mean, I knew that he was sick but…" Kise's voice trailed off, unable to fathom what was going to happen to one of the few people in this world that treated him more than just a pretty face.

"He's –" Takao paused, looking up at Aomine but when the other didn't respond in any way, continued "- He's been really sick for awhile now. When we were in junior high, he was diagnosed with arthritis. At first, it wasn't so bad but…"

Takao sighed and looked towards Aomine who had stopped moving, his back still to them but, somehow, Kise knew that he was listening to every word Takao said.

"But then he was in the hospital for, like, six weeks. He lost a lot of weight and he, well, he just became really frail and it was difficult to get him back to normal again." Takao fiddled with his fingers, hyperaware of Aomine, Kise, and the moving bodies throughout the corridor. "But in high school, he was completely fine. He joined the basketball team with us and it was all good. Even after we graduated, everything seemed totally okay, like, he still was in pain sometimes but it was never that bad. Just two years ago… Um…"

"Two years ago, it got really bad and he hasn't improved much since." Aomine finished, still turned away. His shoulders were rigid, stiff with Kise didn't know what – concern? Fear? Anger? Whatever it was, Kise felt for the guy. It was obvious that whatever was between Aomine and Kuroko stemmed from this and Kise wanted to tell him it was okay, that nothing was his fault, that it wasn't going to end up without Kurokocchi – but Kise didn't know Aomine that well and he had a feeling that if he said any of those things, he'd get punched in the gut.

"He's been in a lot of pain and his granny has been really worried about him…" Takao said quietly. "She wants him to sell the store and move somewhere he can be taken care of –"

"But he's too damn stubborn to let go." Aomine growled, continuing to pace the hall, his voice low and dangerous.

Kise swallowed and felt like he needed to get out of the hospital, like he needed to escape from here to close his eyes and just breathe in air that wasn't so sterile.

But he would stay as long as he needed to.

Finally, after another hour of waiting, the doctor came out of the room.

No one said anything, all holding their breath. Waiting.

"He's awake now. Everything seems to be going smoothly, but he's in a lot of pain right now. He won't be going anywhere for the next few weeks." The doctor paused, waiting for something, but when he got nothing, he continued. "You can go in and see him, but please, keep it quick, he's on a lot of medication right now and we need him to rest."

Aomine stood motionless and Takao had to grab ahold of his arm to get him into the room. Kise waited a few moments before entering himself, but once inside the room, he could feel the tension. Aomine stood at the window, saying nothing, not moving, his shoulders still hunched together. Takao was sitting next to Kuroko, who was watching Aomine's back, his eyes distant.

Kise slowly made it to the bed where his boss lay. Takao got up and gestured for Kise to sit, whispering to Kise that he would go to the nursing home to tell Kuroko's grandmother the situation.

"Kise-kun." Kuroko was still watching Aomine and his voice was weak, as far off as his eyes.

"Yes, Kurokocchi?" Kise felt himself swell with emotion as he saw a tear fall from Kuroko's pale eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you my situation but I want to thank you for all the help you've given me the past few weeks." Kuroko managed to get out, his voice breaking as he went. "But I'm going to have to close the store… I'll be in here for awhile. I may… I may even be moved to Tokyo if my situation gets any worse."

Kise was silent for a moment as he swallowed any emotion that was threatening to spill from his lips. He knew this whole speech was probably for Aomine's benefit, but Kise was feeling the pain in his chest.

"Kurokocchi…"

"Can I trust you with Nigou –" Kuroko's voice broke and he had to wait a few moments before continuing "- Will you take him for me?"

"O-Of course, Kurokocchi!" Kise nodded eagerly, "And I can take care of the store for you when you're gone! I don't know how to arrange any fancy arrangements but I could try my best! I don't know how to order stock either but I could ask someone to help me! I don't know how to even work the cash register but I could figure that out on my own, I swear!"

Although Kuroko was still struggling to keep his composure together, he managed a small laugh.

"Thank you, Kise-kun, but I couldn't ask that of you."

"I'll – I'll ask Kasamatsu-Senpai to help me! I'll hire Hayato-kun and Jun-kun, even though he's evil, Senpai will understand and we could manage…" Kise trailed off as Aomine finally turned around from the window, his fingers pressed to his eyes.

"Daiki –"

Aomine was out the door before Kuroko could say anything.

…

Sundays were usually Kise's days off but this Sunday, Kise awoke the moment the sun peaked past the mountainous horizon.

The house had been dead quiet since last night. Kise didn't know where Aomine had gone and Takao returned late, only to go straight into his room. A note was left on the table of a phone number that Kise didn't realize and some scribbles that Kise guessed to be Takao's writing. By the looks of it, he had called Aomine's parents in Brazil yesterday to tell them the news.

The air was already moist when Kise left on the bike he had bought a few weeks ago. It was the beginnings of the rainy season and Kise could tell it was going to pour later today. Knowing that, he didn't return back in the house for an umbrella or jacket.

He had a job to do and it couldn't wait.

The Kasamatsu household was situated just where Kurokocchi had said: on the river front, nestled between two old, weathering houses. Just like the store, the house was littered on the outside with random potted plants, bikes and little knick knacks. It was the same worn dark brown color as Kise's house and the paint around the windows were peeling away.

Kise rang the doorbell and waited. He knew that they would be home today since it was Sunday and the store didn't open until nine, so Kise figured it gave him about an hour to talk with the Kasamatsu's before they left to open the store. Kise rang the bell again, adding a desperate knock to the mix that would surely convey his urgency.

Apparently, they weren't used to getting guests so early, because when the eldest of the Kasamatsu brothers opened the door, all he dawned was a pair little blue boxers and a grey t-shirt that was one inside out and backwards.

"What do you want?" Kasamatsu yawned into the back of his hand, his eyes still closed.

"Senpai, I need a favor to ask!"

"What the hell? Kise? What are you doing here?" Kasamatsu suddenly looked wide awake at the realization that it was Kise that stood before him. His ears started turning red and he pulled on his grey t-shirt to hide the fact that he was only in his boxers.

"Senpai, can I come in? It's very urgent!" Kise stomped a foot.

"What the – Okay, fine, come in." Kasamatsu stepped aside to allow Kise in.

Kise knew that only men had lived in this house for a good fifteen years, so it shouldn't have surprised him to find it completely lacking in any décor or cleanliness whatsoever, but it was still shocking to find how completely dull it was. The entry way opened straight into the kitchen. Pots and pans were stacked in the sink, with leftovers from the store scattered all along the counter and sacks of potatoes and onions on the floor. The Fridge had a family photograph that Kise would have to take a better look at later. There was a wooden table, piled with books, homework, and orders from the grocery store, that separated the cooking area with the living room.

Sitting there, was a half-naked Hayato, still half asleep as he lazily spooned some cereal into his mouth.

"Sit down." Kasamatsu ordered, pointing at the chair next to his youngest brother.

"Yes sir." Kise mumbled, sitting on command. Hayato didn't spare him a glance and just continued to barely maneuver the spoon into the general area of his mouth. Kise wasn't even sure if he was awake any more.

"You want some breakfast? Tea?" Kasamatsu was busy at the counter, already with two bowls out and pouring cereal into both of them. He grabbed two mugs from the drying rack and poured in some hot water.

When everything was placed before him without even asking for it, Kise mumbled a thanks and sipped at his tea.

"So what did you want, kouhai?" Kasamatsu asked, sitting across from Kise.

Hayato pipped up at that, suddenly turned to look at Kise. They sat staring at each other for a moment before Hayato turned a nice shade of pink – very reminiscent of his brother's blush – and quickly ran from the table, taking the steps two at a time, his hands covering his chest like he was some girl.

"He may act a big game, but he's shy." Kasamatsu shrugged, eating more of his cereal.

"You just called me your kouhai." Kise said, awestruck.

"Yeah, well, you call me senpai and you're an idiot like Takao and Aomine, who were actually my kouhai in school, so that's what you are."

At the mention of Aomine, Kise remembered why he had come to the Kasamatsu household early on a Sunday morning in the first place.

"Senpai! I need your help!" Kise bowed, careful not to dunk his head into the cereal bowl.

It was silent for a moment, the only noise coming from the soft drip of the faucet and the quiet padding of feet up above.

"Is this about Kuroko?"

"You heard?"

"I work in a grocery store, I know everything that goes on in this town." Kasamatsu shrugged. "All the old ladies were really concerned."

"He wants to close the shop until… Until he gets better! I can't let him do that! He loves it and I want to help him in any way that I can…" Kise felt emotion start to swell in his heart. He wasn't really aware of it until now but he couldn't help but question if he would have done something like this back when he lived in the city.

"So keep it open, I don't see why you needed to come all the way over here to tell me that." Kasamatsu yawned.

"I can't do it alone!" Kise cried. "You know what my previous job was! I have no experience in business; I don't know how to order inventory, or work a cash register, or make a bouquet or –"

"Okay, okay, just shut up, okay?" Kasamatsu sighed, getting up from his seat. He walked to the small bookshelf across from the table and grabbed a black binder labeled 'Schedule' and sat back down across from Kise. He pushed some of the papers away from between them so Kise could see what he was doing.

"Now, this is going to give me so many migraines, but I can put Hayakawa in charge on Mondays and Wednesdays and come over to help you myself." Kasamatsu grabbed a random pen from the table and marked up the page. "I could get Jun to help you on Tuesdays and Thursdays after he comes home from school…"

Kise looked up as Kasamatsu trailed off, watched as his Senpai rubbed his chin, something Kise found he did a lot of when he was thinking. His eyes scrunched up and he stared at the binder before him. He sighed and looked up the stairs and back at the binder.

"I guess I could have Hayato help out on Fridays." Kasamatsu paused, meeting Kise's eyes for a second before looking back down. "He's been in trouble lately with not doing his school work but maybe working with you will motivate him."

Kise nodded, keeping his eyes on Kasamatsu. "And on Saturdays?"

"Saturdays… Hmm," Kasamatsu rubbed his chin again. "Wait a minute, can't you handle one day on your own, you lazy shit?"

Kise laughed, his first since what happened yesterday.

"I am an idiot, remember, I need all the help I can get."

"That's for sure," Kasamatsu mumbled, snapping the binder closed without making any markings on Saturday. He rose to put it back: "Now shut up and finish your breakfast."

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**This story is moving quite slow but its nice to write some daily-life, semi-peaceful, country story instead of focusing solely on my papers for school. So I hope you are enjoying it as well! **

**Also I have no idea what to title this chapter... soooo...**


	6. Chapter Six: A Backstory and A Message

**Thank you for reading , reviewing, following :)**

**Enjoy.**

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He really didn't know what he was doing.

It had been a few days since agreeing to help that idiot Kise – the model – Ryouta and Kasamatsu felt like his life had been on fast-forward with no pauses in between. From managing the store, directing Hayakawa a million times over on what proper protocol was for every imaginable situation, to ordering his brothers to actually helping with things around the store, to, finally, being stuck with that idiot Kise for more than an hour at a time – life was getting even more stressful than ever.

And that was saying something.

Even before his father's passing last year, as the eldest son, Kasamatsu had come to accept early on that it was his job to hold 99% of the world's weight on his shoulders. For the first seven years of his life, it had only been himself and his father – a tall, strapping man with a hard, joyous laugh and an open heart. Yukio knew that, even as a young boy, his father relied on his support and love, which he readily gave because if there was one person in this world that Yukio would never cease to look up to, it was his father.

When his mother – or rather, as Yukio liked to call her, the woman whom gave birth to him – returned shortly after his seventh birthday, claiming that she had grown up and wanted to be a family, Kasamatsu could only sit by and watch as his father fell back in love with the woman. He knew that if he said anything negative about the situation, his father's heart would break a million times over if his son did not support him. So he held his opinions to himself and shouldered the weight of acting as if the woman that sat before him was actually his mother.

Shortly after, Jun was born and the first time Yukio held his baby brother in the hospital, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride as he looked down to matching blue-grey eyes. Once his baby brother was brought home, Yukio had already decided that he was going to be the best brother ever so little Jun would never have to feel any sense of responsibility as Yukio had growing up.

Two years after, Hayato was born and weight was gained but, in all reality, Yukio never once felt burdened by the pressure of having not one but two brothers.

Not even after his mother left him for the second and final time.

And ever since then, Yukio has held the title of 'Older Brother' with the highest honor.

Growing up, Yukio never felt the difference between being called 'aniki' and 'senpai,' because the guys on his basketball team gave him the same feelings of looking at Jun or Hayato. It came as no surprise to anyone that the mature, responsible young Kasamatsu Yukio – a spitting image of his father when he was that age – became a young man that mothers would hope their own sons would become.

But Kise Ryouta was an entirely different story.

Kasamatsu had never met someone like Kise before; in fact, he had never even met someone from the city, much less famous, before.

And _that's_ why he brought home that magazine with Kise's face on it the moment he realized it was the model that stood before him – not because he was interested or anything and _definitely_ not because he was attracted to him. It was just a simple curiosity because Yukio really didn't understand why someone like the Kise Ryouta would come to live in Namimori, population 4,000. He had read the travel brochures but he didn't really think they were convincing at all.

Anyways, Kise Ryouta was a complete anomaly to Kasamatsu's world that Kasamatsu hadn't realized what exactly he was getting himself into. Maybe it was the fact that he had gone twenty-six years living as a big brother that he had agreed to help a grief-stricken idiot who obviously had his heart in the right place. Or maybe it was the fact that he wanted to help the frail Kuroko Tetsuya that had been his neighbor whilst growing up.

But it definitely wasn't the fact that Kasamatsu was somehow attracted to Kise.

Not that there was anything wrong with homosexuality because Kasamatsu didn't exactly care what someone's orientation was – he just thought all relationships were likely to end up with three parentless boys in a small working-class town in northern Japan.

But, whatever.

Monday had been okay. Kise had watched Youtube video after Youtube video on simple arrangements, so the few orders that they had to complete were finished only with a few hiccups. Since Kuroko had already ordered new shipments for this week, they didn't have to worry about ordering stock, they just had fill out the paper work from the delivery man. Everything seemed to be going off without a hitch and before he knew it, Yukio was returning home, with minimal stress knots in his neck.

Tuesday had been another story.

Kasamatsu opened the grocery store as per usual but when he looked across the street through the front window, the flower shop still had the 'closed' side out, even though it was rounding ten in the morning.

When Kasamatsu had found Kise, he was laying face-down in the back room, with a several boxes of flowers and ribbons on top of him. Apparently, whilst trying to find the flowers for the Sawada order due this afternoon, four boxes managed to fall over and trap Kise, who had been afraid of moving in case he crushed some of the flowers.

After that had been all sorted, the day went on until Jun came rushing into the grocery store, his face red with fury as he declared that he could no longer work with Kise due to his complete lack of skills at anything related to life itself. It had been three-thirty, an half an hour since Jun had left school, ten minutes since he actually arrived back.

And the rest of the week followed with ridiculous situations that Kasamatsu had to strain his brain to think of how Kise managed to get locked in the freezer where they kept arrangements due for pick, how he managed to drop five glass vases in one hour and ten in the next, how he had managed to send a bouquet of yellow roses to the wrong house sixteen times before it finally arrived, damaged and worn, to the right house. Jun had given up again on Thursday after Kise since managed to fail at working the cash register (Kasamatsu resorted to using an empty box for bananas for Kise to use to store his earnings).

So even though it wasn't even Friday yet, Kasamatsu left his brothers in front of the TV after dinner to go to the bar down the street. Moriyama had been out on a date with the middle daughter from the temple and Kobori had to help his wife painting the nursery for their first child, so Kasamatsu found himself walking into the bar by himself – not that he minded because, let's face it, sometimes his two best friends really got on his nerves with their cutesy stories of relationships and blah, blah, blah.

He wasn't expecting it to be full on a Thursday, and it wasn't, but there was one pathetic lump he realized sitting by himself, a table-full of empty bottles already sat before him.

"It's a little early to be smell this bad of alcohol, isn't it?" Kasamatsu sat across from his kouhai, a beer in his hand.

"Shut up, Yuki-senpai." Aomine grumbled, not meeting the other's eyes. "I'm an adult, I can drink as much as I want."

"It's only nine-thirty, Ahomine." Kasamatsu snorted as Aomine made a scene of rolling his eyes.

"'Had a stressful day at work, 'kay?" Aomine shrugged, gulping down half of his drink.

It hadn't really been a secret back in high school that there was something going on between Aomine and Kuroko – what that was, Kasamatsu hadn't known, hadn't bothered to ask because he liked both guys, they had spirit and their friendship always seemed to bring a smile to everyone's face. No one really had a clue as to what was between them, mostly because people were too afraid of Aomine – tall, dark, a bit of a yankee – or Kuroko's grandma – frail, hunched, but had a mean slap – to ask.

"I hear he's going to be okay, you know." Kasamatsu kept his eyes on Aomine's face, waiting for a reaction. "He's gotten better before."

Aomine glared at the table, his eyebrows screwed downwards. "Goddamn it. He's so fucking stubborn… He wouldn't listen… Goddamn, why's he gotta be like that, though…?"

Kasamatsu ordered another round, feeling somewhat relieved to have a drinking partner that could push him to get drunk enough to do something stupid.

…

He really didn't know what he was doing.

But at least he could blame it on the alcohol.

And Aomine.

"God, gettup, you 'diot. Yerr heavy." Kasamatsu hissed, trying to keep his balance as Aomine groaned and put more wait on his shoulders. They were standing outside the front door to the house that Aomine shared with Takao and that glasses wearing idiot. Kasamatsu knocked again, louder this time as Aomine groaned again, his breath puffing out right in Kasamatsu's face.

"I dun wanna go home… Bring me…" Aomine heaved and Kasamatsu almost dropped the larger man. "Bring me to the hos'pit… Ugh.. Hospital…"

"They'll throw ya out if ya show, ugh stop 'eaving in my face, if ya show up like this." Kasamatsu knocked again, his head spinning as Aomine's breath crept down his throat.

Finally, the door slide open and Kise stood in the door way, glasses gone and shirtless, a towel wrapped around his waist: "Oh my god, what happened!"

"Move out of 'way," Kasamatsu lugged Aomine into the entry way, his head turning around and around as he tried to set Aomine down gently but, blame it on the alcohol, he just dropped him with a thud.

"Ugh." Aomine groaned, rolling over onto his stomach. "I hate 'choo, seeeeeenpaaaaai."

"Shut yer mouth." Kasamatsu slurred, reaching out to grab ahold of the wall.

"Oh my god, Senpai, are you drunk?" Kise carefully stepped over an Aomine that seemed to have passed out with a low growl.

"I said, shut yer mouth!" Kasamatsu repeated, reaching out to push Kise away as he got closer but, instead, his head spun again and he had to level himself on Kise's quite strong chest.

"Senpai, I think you need to sit down," Kise leaned into Kasamatsu's hand which either annoyed Kasamatsu or made him entirely too flushed, but he couldn't decide because everything was really fuzzy and really steamy.

"You dun know," Kasamatsu paused as he swayed closer to Kise, his hand still firmly pressed to the other's shoulder, "You dun know what I need… Hey, 'ow'd ya look with, um, with blonde 'air?"

"Senpai?" Kise felt himself get entirely too giddy with this situation – was this what Hayato was talking about a few days ago: that Senpai got really chatty when he was drunk?

"I seen it once, 'ya'nooo?" Kasamatsu reached up, running his hand through the still-damp dark strands on Kise's head. "I seen you wit blonde 'air."

"Um, Senpai, I don't think you know what you're –"

"Shuttup!" Kasamatsu barked, now with both hands running through Kise's hair. "I just wanna see you wit blonde hair 'gain… I liked it – hic – I liked it a lot. And no glasses!"

Kise felt himself getting flushed at how utterly adorable Kasamatsu was acting.

"Senpai, I –"

"I told ya to shuttup! God, do I need to shut ya up, m'self?" Kasamatsu's hands linked behind Kise's neck and pulled down, trying to get the taller male down to his level.

Kise was caught off guard and found himself extremely close to Kasamatsu, their breaths mingling – Kise's a minty toothpaste and Kasamatsu, obviously, alcohol filled. Kise was too damn tall for Kasamatsu's liking and somewhere in that fuzzy, haze-like dream that he was living in currently, all he's ever wanted to do what make it so they on the same level. All week he's been looking up to that idiot and its been annoying him all this time – it's been irritating him that his newest kouhai was so tall, so goddamn tall and so goddamn good-looking without his glasses.

Wait. What?

Kasamatsu shoved Kise away, barely managing to mumble a 'geddoff' before leaning against the entry way wall.

"Aww, Seshpai, ya meshed yer cshanshe!" Aomine groaned from the floor, his fist pumping into the air as he tried to fight off drowsiness. "Dun let heem ged away!"

Kasamatsu kicked at Aomine, somehow able to keep his balance as he attacked his kouhai. "Shuddup, you 'diot, that's between you and… you and me!"

"Senpai, I really think you need to lay down." Kise was somehow sounding very calm and responsible for someone who suffers from chronic idiocy. "Sit down while I put Aomine in bed."

Kasamatsu didn't know if it was the fact that the world was literally spinning around as fast as one of those rides at the amusement park he'd gone to in high school or if the burning of his cheeks somehow related to the fact that he was realizing how extremely _capable_ Kise was being right now.

Blame it on the alcohol but Kasamatsu Yukio, at that moment, found Kise to be – dare he admit it? – quite sexy.

…

"Senpai." A pause. "Senpai, wake up."

"Go away." A mumble came from under the sheet that Kise had thrown over Kasamatsu the night before. After successfully tucking Aomine in bed – a puke bucket situation about an inch from his face – Kise had found his senpai sleeping in the living room, his phone open to a text to Jun that read he wouldn't be home tonight.

Kise had smiled at that, wondering how on earth someone as drunk as Kasamatsu had been still had the brains to contact his little brothers.

It was now six thirty and the grocery store opened in an hour and a half and Kise knew that if Kasamatsu wasn't here to open it, everything was going to go up in flames and it would probably be blamed on him since said owner was laying smack-dap in the middle of his living room.

Whatever happened last night – although the memory of it made Kise entirely all too happy – would have to wait because Kise say how hard Kasamatsu hit his brothers and he didn't want to be on the receiving end.

"Senpai, you need to get up now, you have to get to the store." Kise shook him a little harder, careful to keep his voice to a low whisper. Takao had just came home, exhausted from his all night work schedule and was currently in the process of settling himself down for bed. "Senpai, please wake up."

"Jun, I told you, just a few more minutes." Kasamatsu groaned, turning over so his back was too Kise.

"Kasamatsu-senpai!" Kise hissed, shaking even harder. "Wake up!"

"God, what do you want!" Kasamatsu shot upwards, his voice not so much angry as annoyed. However, as soon as he was upright, he swayed a little, the effects of having drunk so much the night before kicking. "Oh, god."

"Senpai!" Kise placed both hands on Kasamatsu's shoulders, holding him steady as he swayed.

"Kise, 'the fuck are you doing in my house?" Kasamatsu groaned, squinting his eyes to the incoming morning light.

"I'm not in your house, Senpai, you're in mine." Kise flinched as Kasamatsu tensed under his grip, praying that he wouldn't get slapped.

But nothing came. It was silent for a moment and Kise had to strain himself be patient enough to wait for a response.

"Aomine." Kasamatsu's teeth gritted. He remembered now – he had went to the bar because this stupid idiot in front of him had been giving him migraines this entire week. As they had been drinking, Aomine talked more and more about 'that idiot Tetsu' and what had he talked about? Kasamatsu couldn't remember when the conversation had turned to his problems. In fact, he couldn't remember anything after about an hour into their night of drinking. He had no clue at all how he ended up here.

"Yeah, you brother Aomine-kun home and then, well, um," Kise couldn't help but smile at what Kasamatsu had said the previous night about his hair.

Kasamatsu, however, was not finding this situation amusing at all and, for some reason, his heart was beating extremely fast. Did he say anything? Anything to Aomine or, god forbid, Kise?

"And what?" When Kise's grin just got wider, Kasamatsu kicked at him, his heart dropping quickly as Kise just started to giggle. "Oi, answer me, kouhai!"

"You told me that you thought my blonde hair looked good on me." Kise giggled some more when Kasamatsu's face paled. "There was one point when I thought you were gonna kiss me, Senpai."

"Oh my god. I think I'm going to be sick."

…

Life had been quiet without Kise around, that's for sure. But still, something felt as if it were missing from Midorima Shintarou's life.

Kise had been that constant ever since junior high and although the blond got on his nerves quite a bit, there was something comforting about finding a million texts on his phone every day after school and, later, after a long day's at the clinic. It was almost foreign to have the no messages for days at a time and Midorima almost – almost – found himself worrying about that idiot.

So when he came home one day and found one unheard message on his answering machine, Midorima knew something was wrong.

"_Midorimacchi, I don't think I can do this anymore_." It had sounded like Kise's voice was muffled, like it had been the first time Kise told him about the love affair. "_It's really hard to be here… and I don't know if I ever did the right thing… I think… I think I might –"_

Midorima was out the door before he could hear the end of the message.

"_I think I might be falling for someone."_

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_ **Alright thanks for reading.. sorry for any mistakes, right now I'm just concerned with uploading but later today/tomorrow, imma go through and correct. so sorry :p**_


	7. Chapter Seven: A Kiss and A Cup of Tea

**Enjoy.**

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It had taken exactly two hours to arrive at the sleepy town of Namimori. Midorima had not bothered to stop at the cute cafés and little convenience stores that littered the side of the road on the drive up – he was not interested in little knick knacks as Kise was (his lucky items certainly didn't count as knick knacks).

He had tried to reach Kise's phone but not once did his friend from junior high answer, which annoyed Midorima very much as well as made him worry even more about his friend.

It had all started last year when Kise started getting serious with that woman. All the magazines and newspapers discussed at length at how perfect to two would be once they were married. And at first, Midorima bought into it. Kise _had_ seemed to finally be settling down. All throughout high school he had experimented with all sorts of people, which Midorima understood to be quite healthy for a boy of 16 but, at the same time, he always knew that Kise was just bidding his time.

It was quite obvious to himself and Momoi that something was missing with Kise. Yes, he was too popular for his own good and he had been born with brilliant physical features but that could only take you so far in life. Kise had been missing something from the very start but Midorima held his tongue every time Kise would call late at night, crying over his latest break up.

Then that woman happened and Midorima thought that there had been a real change. Now, granted, that he had been around the same time as he was finishing medical school, so things were a bit hectic and all personal life had been put on the back burner, but nonetheless, Midorima thought things were starting to change.

But then that man entered the picture and Midorima knew that nothing good could come out of it.

His name was Haizaki, a businessman that possessed too much wealth for any one person. He had been tall, handsome, someone that Kise usually fell for.

So when Kise finally told him that the two had been having an affair for the last six months, Midorima wasn't surprised (it was actually quite easy to read Kise Midorima found early on).

Midorima had supported Kise, of course, although he did warn of the potential of news getting out due to Kise's status as a model, but Kise said that he had trusted Haizaki and at that moment, Midorima knew that Kise had certainly changed at that moment. He had been too busy to realize that when he was still dating – or engaged to – that woman, Kise had still been unhappy and lost. Haizaki had been that one thing that had triggered the change.

So when shit hit the fan, Midorima was ready to personally strangle that man.

With due thanks to Momoi, that did not happen.

Midorima could recall the exact why Kise sounded when he had called him at one in the morning, the day before news would be released over him and his gay lover. His voice had been broken, lost, betrayed. He sounded tired, like it was just another moment in his life that had let him down, and Midorima was over, working full-time damage control, the moment Kise started saying how he couldn't do it anymore.

So this phone message really made Midorima worry about his friend.

He had left his practice to his fellow doctor, his tutor that had inspired him in the first place to go into medicine and took off. However, once he actually got to town, he had no clue where or what to do.

So he went to Kise's address since he wasn't picking up his phone, hoping that the man wasn't doing anything completely crazy.

What he found, however, was not what he expected.

It had to do with a cock and a tape measure.

…

It was closing time when Kasamatsu finally decided to come and check on how Hayato and Kise were doing.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

"Ah, Senpai!"

"Brother!" Hayato detangled himself from Kise's grasp and ran to his eldest brother, bear hugging him the moment he made contact. "Save me!"

Kasamatsu looked shocked at the gesture, not used to receiving just an act unless the younger was sick or sad about father. "What the hell did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything, Senpai! I promise!" Kise whined, also running up, tugging to Kasamatsu's sleeve. "He's been acting weird all afternoon!"

"Oi, Hayato, what's wrong."

"Brother!" Hayato looked up from the hug, his eyes wide and watery, his cheeks and ears a bright shade of pink. "I can't work here anymore!"

"What? Why?"

"He's been saying that since I asked him why he was so pink." Kise grumbled, crossing his arms. "He was working the register when I asked him how to fill out an inventory list and he just suddenly got all pink and stuttery and weird and then I tried to feel his forehead, you know, and he started yelling and trying to get away and I kept trying and he –"

"Okay, okay," Kasamatsu sighed, rubbing his temples. "I think I get it."

"Brother…" Hayato whined, burying his head into his brother's chest more.

"Huh? What? What is it?" Kise begged, "What did I do?"

"Nothing." Kasamatsu sighed again, suddenly embarrassed for his little brother. "Hayato, go to the store and help Jun with stocking."

Hayato detached himself from Kasamatsu and nodded meekly, quickly leaving the store, not bothering to say goodbye to Kise.

"What did I do?" Kise whined, following Kasamatsu into the back room, happy that he picked up the inventory on his way back because it really needed to get done and Kise had no idea how to do it.

"I told you, Hayato may play a big game but he's really shy." Kasamatsu sighed, taking the pencil from his pocket and started figuring in some numbers on the list.

"Okay, but what does –"

It was silent for a moment as Kasamatsu continued to survey the back room and write things down, not bothering to show Kise how to do it. As for Kise, he just sat there, a grin slowly forming on his face.

"He's the type to act like a little shit around the person they like." Kasamatsu shrugged, still focused on filling out the form – that he has, no doubt, shown Kise how to do about a million times already. "Ever since I brought that magazine home – I mean, ever since he saw you on the magazine cover, he's been talking to Jun about you non-stop."

Kise still remained silent, even as Kasamatsu tried to backtrack over his little slip up there.

"So he got all flustered when you were close to him," Kasamatsu bite his lip, holding back a little smile, "'Cause he's so innocent."

Kise still didn't say anything, even as Kasamatsu looked really cute standing there, trying not to laugh at his little brother.

"So, Get it?" Kasamatsu finally asked when all he was receiving – uncharacteristically – was silence.

"I get it, Senpai." Kise winked. "I get that two Kasamatsu brothers have a crush on me."

In all honesty, Kise was expecting a kick or a smack but not the clipboard being chucked at his face. He managed to duck in time, only to receive the kick he was expecting.

"I-Idiot!" Kasamatsu smacked him over the head. "Don't say shit like that!"

"Hahaha! It's true! It's true!"

"It's not!" Kasamatsu tried to speak over Kise's laughing without yelling but it was getting difficult. "I don't have a crush on you!"

"Yes you do! You told me last night that you think I've attractive!"

Kasamatsu yelled again, furiously blaming the alcohol.

"And so does Hayato-chan! You'll have to fight over me!"

"Shut up!" Kasamatsu went to smack Kise again but Kise, gods know how, caught his wrist and grasped it tightly, putting his years of gym-going to good use.

Kise stepped forward, his hand still tight on Kasamatsu wrist, and Kasamatsu backed up along side of him, his face slowly turning the same shade that Hayato's was earlier.

"Oi, what are you doing?" Kasamatsu asked as his back collided the shelving, his pencil fall out of his other hand and Kise leaned down a little.

"You know, Senpai, they say that people are the most honest when they're drunk."

"Get off, me, stupid," Kasamatsu tried to struggle but Kise just pressed himself further into the shorter male, his breath curling around Kasamatsu's reddening face. "I-I don't –"

Kise smiled, he could just _feel_ how nervous his senpai was underneath him.

"Sorry Senpai, but you look really cute right now -" Kise lowered his head a bit further, so their lips were just a hair apart, he wasn't smiling anymore and Kasamatsu wasn't stuttering " - And I've never been good at taking things slowly if I like them back."

He only got his a feather of a touch of his senpai's lips when Takao's voice broke through the atmosphere.

…

"Kise-kun! Kise-kun! Where are you!" Takao hollered as he pounded on the front desk. "Kise-kun!"

A split second later the back door crashed open and much to Takao's surprise it was Kasamatsu that came bursting out as if his tail had been on fire. His whole face was bright red and both his hands were balled into fists, hurrying out of the store without even greeting Takao. A moment later, Kise emerged, his own face a little red.

"Kise-kun!" Takao called happily, grabbing the man's arm. "I've got a surprise for you!"

"Huh? What?"

"Close the shop, hurry! I have to take you back home for your surprise!" Takao couldn't help but to bounce up on the tips of his feet.

"Wait, what's the surprise?"

"Kise-kun, I can't tell you that. It wouldn't be a surprise anymore."

Kise sighed, his face still tingling a bit from what just happened, but he still nodded numbly, grabbing the keys from the front desk to lock up.

The walk home was filled with Kise asking Takao repeatedly what the surprise was and Takao countering with why Senpai's face was so red and why he seemed in such a hurry to get the hell out of the flower shop. And since both refused to say anything – Takao, because, duh, it was a surprise and Kise, well, Kise because he didn't really know _what_ happened – they were arguing up to the moment Kise saw the black car that sat in the driveway.

Forgetting everything that was currently going on in his life, even Takao who was still being a little too curious, Kise immediately ran to the house.

…

"Wait, so you're not depressed?"

Midorima sat crossed legged, across from Kise, an empty cup of tea and a plate of sweets that came from the Bakery Club at the nursing home (which included Kuroko's granny). He had arrived at the house only to find that Kise wasn't around and instead that there was a really odd man sitting the middle of the living room, his – ehm – unmentionables in one hand with a tape measure in the other. He had quickly tucked himself away the moment he saw Midorima standing in the doorway, obviously shocked to petrification.

The man, whom he learned to be Takao Kazunari, one of Kise's roommates, had apparently been measuring himself just to make sure because the other roommate, "Mine-chan," had a – ehm – unmentionable the length of a Greek god.

Apparently.

Anyways, once he explained why he was there, Takao had immediately told him that Kise was fine and that he was at work. Still, Midorima had asked if he could bring Kise to him just to make sure.

"No! Kise-kun is doing just fine, Midorima-san!" Takao answered.

Oh yes, also, ever since Takao had put himself back into his trousers, he had been completely overbearing to his new guest.

And it was really annoying.

"Yeah, Midorimacchi, I'm fine! You really shouldn't be so impatient when listening to my messages…" Kise teased, enjoying the fact that, for once, he was the one that was being more responsible than his friend.

"Yeah, Midorima-san, this granny I work with told me that we shouldn't be hurrying into things because, well, I don't really remember what she was saying because I had to hurry off to do something else, but yeah, so you're a doctor right? Did I tell you that I'm a nurse?" Takao giggled, putting another sweet into his mouth.

"Yes, in fact, you have." Midorima tried to signal to Kise to ditch the shorty but he was either not interested or intent on being a little shit.

"Isn't that funny?" Takao laughed again. "Hey, would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you." Tea runs were the only time in which Midorima had with Kise alone – this would be his fifth cup.

"Kise, are you sure you are okay. You sounded upset on the phone," Midorima said in a rush.

"Yes, I'm fine. I told you, you need to listen to the whole message before dropping everything and coming out here."

"You know how you were last time you sounded like that…"

"I know, I know, but I don't know, it's just weird to find someone –"

"Okay, okay, I'm back! Here's your tea! So what exactly did this message say, you both keep tip-toeing around the subject and it's getting kinda hard to follow your lingo."

"Takao-kun, I don't know if it's a subject matter that –"

"If it's about our little town, I will find out eventually." Takao almost glared at Kise, "You have to tell me."

"Wait, why?" Kise panicked at the mean face Takao was pulling. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Roomie loyalty." Takao simply stated, crossing his arms.

"Roomie loyalty?" Both Midorima and Kise repeated.

"Yes, Kise-kun, I know you're hiding something from me and I need to know what the hell is up with you." Takao finally broke his character and started to whine. "It's not fair that you know all about Mine-chan's love life and we can't know anything thing about yours!"

"Wait, how do you know it's about my love life?"

"Um," Takao grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, you see…"

"Takao-kun." Kise tried to sound firm.

"Don't be mad but Mine-chan told me about what happened at the bar, what Kasasmatsu-senpai told him and… and… and… well, I mean it's kind of obvious that Kasamatsu-senpai was really blushy for _some_ reason today."

"Aomine remembers!" Kise felt like running down to the police station, grabbing ahold of Aomine's collar, and begging him to tell him the details of their drinking party last night. Kasamatsu statement 'that's between you and me (minus the slurring, of course)' last night has been the only thing on Kise's mind since he put the other down to bed last night.

"Mine-chan has a very high tolerance and he usually remembers everything that happens while he is drunk."

"What did they talk about?"

Takao shook his head, zipping his lips. "I promised Mine-chan that I wouldn't repeat what Kasamatsu-senpai said."

"Takao-kun," Kise reached out, grabbing ahold of Takao's hands, "Roomie loyalty."

The shorter of the two groaned aloud, somewhat annoyed that his own stupid idea had backfired on him so soon.

"I can't! I promised!"

"Well then I can't tell you about my love life."

Midorima sighed inwardly, feeling as if he was suddenly invisible to the two idiots – it was quick to decide that, yes, Takao was indeed an idiot as well – as they continued to go back and forth on their debate over what it meant to be a good roommate. And although he was definitely used to be around idiots like this (especially when Momoi first met that idiot husband of hers', Kise and her had had conversations almost identical to this one), there was only so much he could take.

"Kise." Midorima's voice came out tense, serious, with a tone that Kise realized as _I'm-taking-no-more-shit_. "Who is this Kasamatsu-senpai that you are talking about? The man that you've fallen fo-"

"Shh! Midorimacchi! Shut up please!"

"You actually like Kasamatsu-senpai?!" Takao was standing down, his fingers running through his hair. The grin on his face reminded Kise of an imp's.

Kise groaned into his hands, cursing Midorima and trying to control the flushing of his cheeks as Takao started pacing the room, alternating between asking 'Really? Really? Really?'

"Now you tell him what this 'Mine-chan' remembers from last night." Midorima nodded to himself at his logic.

"Eh?!" Takao stopped pacing the room, his smile whipped from his face.

"Yes! Takao-kun, now you tell me what Aomine-kun said!"

Takao fell back down to his knees in front of Midorima and Kise, his eyes cast low but the little smirk on his face told the other two that he was enjoying this as much as ever.

"While Kasamatsu-senpai was drunk he told Mine-chan that you really annoyed him, like he was really concerned over the fact that you may give him a heart attack or something, like he even told Mine-chan that you were so annoying that –"

"Okay, Takao-kun, I get it." Kise huffed, crossing his arms. "I'm annoying. What else did he say?"

"Well he went on like that for like an hour," Takao laughed as Kise groaned, "But after he told Mine-chan that although you're like the most annoying thing he's ever met, he said you were really good looking and that there was something about you that annoyed him even more than your whole persona."

Kise sat there, open mouth, arms fallen to his side, mind racing a million miles per second.

"Which was?" Midorima interjected when it was obvious that Kise was in the middle of a break down.

Takao just grinned wickedly, wagging his finger in front of Midorima's face.

…

After hours of trying to get Takao to spill the rest of what had happened, Kise had gotten no new information. Granted, what had been told in the course of the afternoon had shaken Kise to the core, but to know that there had been more – to know that something more could have been said in favor of Kise – drove Kise crazy.

But eventually, Takao had to leave for work and Midorima had gotten both hungry and ten times more annoyed.

Kise had taken his friend out to the Chinese restaurant although he was afraid that he wasn't being a very good host because all that was running through his mind was the fact that he had been spot on to his earlier accusation of Kasamatsu having a crush on him – although thinking someone is attractive and actually _liking_ someone were completely two different things altogether. Kise had been used to people thinking he was attractive for all the completely shallow reasons and although Kasamatsu had admitted he liked the blonde hair better, Kise couldn't help but to think that there was more to the story that Kasamatsu let on.

If anything, it was reassuring for Kise's own feelings, which were, of course, one of admiration tied together with some weird affection.

He had only known the man for a few weeks but something about him made Kise's heart beat. Maybe it was that he was nothing like he'd known before, maybe because he was someone that Kise could rely on, or maybe it was because Kise found his embarrassing blush too cute for words.

Whatever it was, whatever it was that made Kise steal a light kiss from Kasamatsu, Kise wanted more of.

As he lay on the living room floor, the TV on but forgotten, Midorima tucked away in his room, Takao at work, Aomine off to only god knows, Kise let his imagination run wild at the fantasy of being with Senpai.

…

**I learned a lot this chapter, mostly that I can't write Takao. Also I feel so uncomfortable writing 'falling in love' scenes because I always think that they happen too fast.. but whatever, when love happens it happens, I guess. :/Also sorry if its a bit choppy, I literally wrote all the first six chapters in like one go so now its a bit fuzzy as to what i'm doing.  
**

**Anyways, I would love to thank everyone for reading, reviewing and favoriting. I really appreciate the support and I'm open for any suggestions… especially for MidoTako 'cause obviously Takao is already totally stupid for Midorima but ehhh I dunno how to do it. I think I've got AoKuro planned out and as for Kisekasa… I dunno. We'll see :D **

**Oh and I think next chapter will be M-Rated**


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